Tips on TTC

[despseekbabe]

Hi lovely ladies,
I thought I'd start this thread because i figure that since so many of us have seen fertility specialists,doctors, herbalists, naturopaths, accupuncturastics, witchdoctors and fortune tellers...that some of us have got some pretty good advice to share...!! I thought it would be nice to share the best pieces of advice u have heard or anything you hold valuable on this thread so that any newbies, or other can all benefit from the thousands of dollars being spent on TTC. Even little pointers will be valuable - things like "Have sex in the missionary position to avoid semen losses" "BD doggy style if you have a retroverted uterus" or
"Put a SMALL pillow under your hips for tweny mins after BD'ing- not a large one otherwise the sperm will pool behind your cervix"

All these little tips some of us may take for granted, may be beneficial for someone else.

I will start of with some advice I heard from a fertility specialist at my work.....

He says
"BD every second day -regardless of whether you are fertile or not. Mens sperm-making machinery works like this.."if you dont use it...you lose it' Studies have shown masturbation increases the quality of the sperm, and regular ejaculations improve the morphology and the count of the sperm.
He suggests that even if you have AF make sure ur man comes every second day and that will allow sperm to be at is optimum. He tells the story of a couple who had been on IVF for 3 years and couldn't fall. They couldnt afford IVF anymore and came to him. All he said was - have sex/masturbate second-daily and get back to me. It took them 10 months to fall NATURALLY.Cheap and effective!:yelclap:

Another piece of advice follows on from the last piece...

BEWARE of OPKS.
Some studies show couples that use OPKs have a lower pregnancy rate then those who dont.
WHY?
Because when couples rely on OPKs they often go crazy around peak time and dont bother the rest of the time...this means that the sperm quality is less - you are suddenly making demands on your mans machinery when they have gotten rusted the month before!
ALSO - (as i learnt this month) you can get a positive OPK and not ovulate - and a couple of days later, get another positive OPK and ovulate successfully after that...if i just listened to the first OPK I would have thought i had finished ovulating..when in fact i hadn't yet!

Final piece of advise (from me) i swear..
BEWARE of SPERM tests!!
Mens sperm samples vary wildly each time. Dont get despondent if your DH has a low sperm count - do it again a couple of weeks later and it may be ok! My DH had one - and it showed only 10 mil sperm,(normal is greater than 20mil) I was devastated. FS told me to relax and do it again... 2 weeks later it showed 100 mil sperm!!, one week later it showed 32 mil!
Don't freak out till you've had 3 or 4 consecutive LOW results.:yes:

Anyway - enough from me..Over to you guys!
Put in whatever you know - let's share everything so that we can all benefit from each others knowledge and ALL Get :bfp: 's!!!!!!!!:wizard:

[lauraLu]

Thanks thats great! That is why I started my thread... "TTC having no success... any tips!"
But if this thread works best then thats great!

Hope to get some good advice as we conceived Lil Bradley on the PILL! it was completley effortless and probally the best sex I have ever had! Thats were my advice comes in...

CLIMAX! - I have herd that when you climax when trying for a baby if you climax around the same time if not just before your hubby then you body contracts and takes in more .... you know what! Seems logical to me!

Have fun while making a baby my experience with conceiving Bradley was great & I will never forget it! Valentine

Hope we all make babies soon! :bfp:

Special baby dust to us all!!! :wizard:


Me - 20 Valentine DH - 21
DS - 11m
TTC - #2

[onkybear]

I just read the other day in M&B mag that

Cut back on coffe. Research has shown that drinking more than one cup of coffee per day can have a negative effect on fertility in women. BUT men can indulge. In fact you mighht want to get him a hot brew before bed as a cup of coffee before making love is thought to increase sperm motility!

[Baldie's Mum]

ok ready for it...this is my piece of advise..



GET DRUNK

so yes, hasnt worked for me as i am on clomid...(i dont ovulate or get my af without help)...and provera. but the amount of people that say relax, why cant a good glass of vodka and a bath relax you. if i had a bath, this is what i would do for a whole month!!!
:laughing: :smiliedance: :D

[Dejeane]

I believe this thread will be a huge success. all our expreriences must help someone somewhere to get their BFP!

I read that your man must go for cold shower 30min before bd - it optimises the bloodflow therefor giving the sperms a boost.

One thing i do believe helping with ttc is to try and bd secretly or do it while guests are visiting - adrenalin is a fantastic tool for ttc (i believe)

So ladies lets enjoy this lovely, surprising, stressfull and much more times in our life - as there is a much more fullfilling time awaiting when our bubs arrive.

sticky and fertile baby :wizard: to us all in this thrilling time!!!

[singa06]

How does Dh arrange a sperm count test?

[despseekbabe]

U can get ur GP to arrange a semen analysis for you...but honestly - if u havent tried unsuccessfully for at least a year..dont do it. If u do - all u will be told is 'keep trying and come back in a year' no matter what the result is (unless its AZOSPERMIA - i.e NO sperm at all)

[Grace3]

Great Thread

[2SPUNKRATZ]

"BD doggy style if you have a retroverted uterus" or
"Put a SMALL pillow under your hips for tweny mins after BD'ing- not a large one otherwise the sperm will pool behind your cervix"


He suggests that even if you have AF make sure ur man comes every second day and that will allow sperm to be at is optimum. He tells the story of a couple who had been on IVF for 3 years and couldn't fall. They couldnt afford IVF anymore and came to him. All he said was - have sex/masturbate second-daily and get back to me. It took them 10 months to fall NATURALLY.Cheap and effective!:yelclap:



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what a great idea for a thread. i love it. is that rue that if you have retroverted uterus doggy is best, cos i have one, but hate doggy. maybe for the sake of baby making i should make an exception. hmmmm........

i didnt know about the sperm pooling at cervix if you tilt to fare either, thanx for that one.

i gotta tell DH to enjoy himself when AF is around then hey. hmmmm..........


great thread. :thumbsup:

i suppose all i can add is

have fun BDing. more people have gotten preggers enjoying thier sex life than those who are all stressed out.

[despseekbabe]

KEEP 'EM COMING GIRLIES!!

i hear Kristi's going to tell us all about accupuncture and chinese herbs....

:yelclap:

[Baldie's Mum]

i go to accupuncture as well as kristi. My sister does it for me which is nice! what she concerntrates on is my cold body. In chinese medicine a cold body has terrable blood flow. i always have cold fingers and toes and i find it hard to get warm after being in a cold environment! so i get a lot of pins in me for blood flow. she also puts some on top of my overies and uterus to stir them up! i am deathly afraid of needles and it doesnt hurt me. there are a few pins that "bite" when they get tapped in e.g the foot inbetween the big and 2nd toe and the hand around the headache pressure point. but my sis says they bite me because i get a lot of migranes and the 1 in my foot is for moods and being on clomid IS A MOOD TWISTER!!!!!! oh boy, dh wanted to move out for cycle 2!!! I am really happy with accupuncture as it really calms me down, it has reduced my moods significatly and lessened my head aches! and yes i am warmer...i am able to wear bear feet to bed instead of thick snow socks!!!!!

also another thing my sister and my natropath told me is cut down on dairy! it is actually quite bad for conception. it makes the body cold, and your blood flow slippery...(whatever that means) You should have only about 1 serve of milk (if that a day) try yoghurt but a natural yoghurt not ski or comercial stuff! :hugs: good luck everyone!

[singa06]

This Is For Beginers:

* Dont Use Lubs Such As 'ky Gel' Or 'saliva' As This Can Kill The Sperm Due To The Wrong Ph, Only Us Pre-seed.

* You Usually Start To Ovulate 14 Days Before The Start Of Your Next Af And It Will Usually Occur Any Time Within 7 Days.
Eg: My Af Is Usually 32 Days, So Im Assuming I Am Most Fertile During Days 18 - 25. But Bed Around That Anyway Just Incase!!

[Eloise&Charlie'sMum]

Firstly what a fantastic idea for a thread...

Yep I do accupunture and chinese hebs to help me with regulating my cycle and TTC...

After 1 treatment I got my AF back after 10 months of it magically disappearing after coming off birth control and after 3 treatment I "O"d on my own without meds..I had been taking clomid up till then but was just getting horrible side effects and nothing else.

Basically what Ains has already said is petty much what its all about...

You get a series of very fine needles placed into specific pressure point's to help stimulate blood flow and to warm the uterus..increased blood flow help form a healthy uterine lining and egg development which is essential when TTC.. a warm uterus is also need to harber a healthy growing baby..it is very relaxing!!!!

It is completely pain free and send electricty type feeling through your body...it feels nothing like getting blood test (for those of you who hate needles)..at it's worst it feel like nothing more than a little mozzie bite.

When I get it done i get about 10-12 needles put in:-

1 in each ankle
1 in each calve or side of each knee
1 in the top of each foot
1-2 in each of my wrists and top hands
1 just above my pubic line below my belly button

As for the chinese herbs thay keep all the work that the accupunture has done flowing..making sure there are no blockage of energy and blood flow...

TTC is very much linked to liver and kidney function aswell and the herbs keep this all function at the highest level.

The herbs dont taste particularly nice..LOL..but you do get use to it..

My has accupunturist has a very high sucess rate of an average of 3 cycles with him and most couple concieve naturally...I myself am on cycle #2 but this my first cycle that we are actively TTC as my DH was away when I "O"d the first month.

It is very relaxing experience and as we all know TTC can be very stressfull..so this is another good reason for me to use it as a time out for myself.

You normally have 1 session a week and the treatment alters slightly depending on where you are in your cycle so that you are getting the most out of your treatment..at the start of each session they also take your palse and check your tongue ( you can tell alot from a person tongue in reguards to health issues)..

Since doing this I have had the best 2 cycles ever and am "o"ing on time and AF is completely pain free when I do get it.

I hope this has been of some help to some one and I happy to answer any other question you may have about the whole thing any time..just PM me.

I hope I can give you some good news and show it works really well at the end of the month by showing you a :bfp:

[aden2005]

Im loving this thread:)

We went out last night i got so drunk, and had the best sex ive had in a long time LOL hope it worked :laughing:

Luv Katherine-xx-

[despseekbabe]

WOw! some of this stuff is GREAT..
anyway - as im ovulating at the moment - i plan to combine Ains and Dejeanes advice and GET DRUNK whilst at my mums house!! Then i will insist my DH has a cold shower
Then i will put a little pillow under my bum and then i will make a baby!
WOO HOO!!! Thanks girlies! U guys are tops!!
:smiliedance:
Kristi - u and Ains are seriously convinving me to have accupuncture! its something i NEVER thought i would do...but im still not brave enough to take the first step!!!!

[despseekbabe]

is that rue that if you have retroverted uterus doggy is best, cos i have one, but hate doggy. maybe for the sake of baby making i should make an exception. hmmmm........

.

Y'know - i think if you really hate doggy u shouldnt do it...u should be comfortable and enjoy sex (hey that was your own advise M2M!!!!!!!) Just do it the way u like (prefer missionary if not doggy) and wait and see....cos it shouldnt actually effect your fertility.
How long u been trying M2M???

[Baldie's Mum]

HEY D,

I am so afraid of needles that when i go for blood tests i have to lie down, put a pillow over my head, vomit bucket by myside, i then have to wait for a few mins (it has been 20mins some times) then when there are nurses available, a few have to hold my arm and try and find a vain!!! then i can have blood taken!!!

DEATHLY AFRAID!!!!!!!!

accupuncture, so different. it feels like someone taps ur skin then nothing! the only 2 that "bite" when they go in are my ones in the feet and thats because my moods are so bad on clomid!!! But it really doesnt hurt at all!!!

[Baldie's Mum]

Hey D, Do You Have Msn Messenger?

[despseekbabe]

HEY AINSY - no i dont, at least i dont think i do...i dont even know what it is!!!
haha
is that some really common thing like "do you have email??"
HAHA!!
how are u Ainsy???
BIG FAT HUG YOUR WAY!

[Baldie's Mum]

Hi D,

whats going on pussy cat wooo ooooooooooo!!! msn is a chat thing you can download onto ur computer for free and chat instantly!!! You should get it. I am talking to Kristi on it now!!! funny girl!!!!

BIG MASSIVE HUG FOR YOU!!!!! :thumbsup: :yes: :ecomcity:

[bronny-jane]

this worked for me last time... concentrate on yourself.. i was losing weight..loving it, and decided i'd put of ttc for a year..avoided having sex when i ovulated.... and bingo..here we are:bfp: :D

[despseekbabe]

Bronny-jane - that is soooo awesome! i wish i could get into the mindset where i am not trying...everyone says that -its just hard to get out of...and im not getting any younger!!!

Ainsy - just asked my DH if we have it - he said "nope - it can be a security breach... i dont like it..." :(
BAH!

[Baldie's Mum]

:laughing: Tell dh HE is the security risk!!!!!! and where do u live???

[despseekbabe]

HAHAHAHAHA
I told DH you called him a security breach - and you know what he said
"Thats something you would say!!!!"

SO i live in wollongong - south of sydney...
but i do spend heaps of time in sydney...most of my friends live there...

what about u??

BTW - Sorry to hear about the babyshow not being very good. At least u havent completely wasted the day - you were able to come home early and chat to me!!!
:smiliedance:

[EmsMum72]

Have multiple BDing sessions in one night. Worked for me. I fell pregnant with my DD after BDing 3 times in one night :eek: (you know like it used to be when you first met your partner??), the second time we did it twice in one night :sleeping: . Seems that BDing multiple times makes me conceive, however it doesn't seem to work all the time! But, it's worth a shot:yelclap:

[despseekbabe]

THREE TIMES IN ONE NIGHT EmsMUm !!!

Wow! thats good going girl!! impressive!!!:thumbsup:

I couldn't do that...actually i dont think DH could do that!!!
haha
poor thing
if he saw me write that he would say
"hey- yes I could!"

I will have to try that tomorrow night - tonight i am trying ALCOHOL.
But i will let u know!!

[EmsMum72]

LMAO, you go girl! :laughing:

Well we hadn't been married for long, only 4 months, when we did the 3 nighter and he was going away for a week. It was quite a challenge to manage 2 at the beginning of this year. It's usually a 5 minute one, once a night, once a week, twice if he's lucky! LMAO :p

Good luck with the alcohol. Great excuse for a drink! I must admit I don't drink much these days, but if the alcohol theory was true I'd have about 20 kids by now from my teenage/early 20's years ;) .

[Aquamarine]

We were TTC DS1 for 16 months before we finally got a BFP and I feel it was due to the fact that about a month or two before I had joined weight watchers.

I wasn't hugely overweight, just a few kilos and losing that extra weight was the key for me.

In fact I went to the doctor to tell her that I think it's time that I had a check up to see what was going on and she said OK I will just do a quick pregnancy test before we do anything and to my surprise it was a :bfp:

I think a good diet is the key and I have heard chocolate isn't good when TTC.

Good luck to all and try to stay positive.;)

[despseekbabe]

EmsMum - you should see my post on the 'obsessed thread'
I was asking the girls there WHAT to drink!!
I dont even KNOW HOW to drink alcohol! i never normally drink and neither does DH (i know we are boring people i suppose) - anyway - the girls have been giving me suggestions! like vodka cruisers...that sounds nice...
i hope it works!
Maybe thats why there are so many teenage mums about??? they have the right idea..here we are trying to measure temps, POAS etc etc and all they do is get drunk!

[despseekbabe]

.

In fact I went to the doctor to tell her that I think it's time that I had a check up to see what was going on and she said OK I will just do a quick pregnancy test before we do anything and to my surprise it was a :bfp:



THat is sooo great - i would LOVE that to happen to me....just magically be told it was positive all along...
wow -and CHOCOLATE???!! SAY IT ISNT SO!! i LOVE CHOCOLATE!!! DONT MAKE ME STOP EATING CHOCOLATE!!!
oh!
Damn shame...actually if u cant have coffee it makes sense to cut out chocolate...
RA! :banghead:

[Baldie's Mum]

hey D if u got a problem with fertility alcohol isnt going to help!!!! i got drunk once and did "it" with my boyfriend at the time and the condom broke!!!! no pregs.....then me and my boyfriend went away on a rowing camp and it was so naughty to do "it" so we ended up going like rabbits!!! also no pill for me!!! i forgot to take it!!! wooops!!! still a whole week of non pill taking bonking, still :bfn: !!! mind you i didnt get my af or ovulate back then, but that wasnt my excuse!!!!!:rolleyes:

[EmsMum72]

Well it shouldn't take much to get you drunk then desp ;), hubby will be rapt!!

I know what you mean about trying to get into that mindset about 'not trying'. It's so incredibly hard when people tell you just to relax, try not to think about it, but it's impossible when you see babies and preg women everywhere. I'm in the same boat as you, not getting any younger.

However, in saying that, when my DD was conceived in 2004 I had just lost 12 kilos for my wedding (which was in Nov '03) and hadn't really put on much weight, and had decided to concentrate on me (just like bronny did) because we'd already been TTC for a year and I think I had started to give up on the idea of ever having a child. I exercised every day, ate better than ever before (healthy food), and felt great. I didn't even know I was pregnant until 10wks.

So I really do believe that it's all about eating healthily, exercising regularly and losing weight (if need be). Unfortunately for me, it's a vicious cycle. I'm depressed cause I'm not pregnant so I'm eating to make myself feel better, instead of dieting (it's so hard, specially since I quit smoking AGAIN 4 weeks ago, all I wanna do is eat). :banghead:

[despseekbabe]

WELL DONE on quitting smoking!!:detective:
thats great babe! now smoking DEFINITELy impairs fertility! and i KNOW u know its bad for u! but i do know its hard to quit so WELL done on quitting.

Seriously - it does feel like EVERYONE in the world is pregnant doesnt it??? eveywhere u go are big beautiful tummies....man i want one of those tummies!!!

[Lirael]

does smoking impair fertility???

[Baldie's Mum]

yes!!!

[EmsMum72]

I was a smoker when I fell pregnant with DD, quit as soon as I found out at 10wks. I was a non-smoker when I fell pregnant earlier this year, but miscarried :confused: . Who knows! It can't be good, but I know so many smokers who have had kids, or are pregnant now. I'd like to think that quitting again will increase my chances of conceiving :fingerscrossed:, along with a number of other things (like losing weight, taking my meds :eek: and eating healthy food).

[Lirael]

wow i guess i must be lucky, having had 4 pregnancies and smoking before all of them. i never knew that!

PS good points emsmum72 :yes:

anyway sorry to barge in good luck with TTC ladies

[Baldie's Mum]

YEAH, unfortunatly smoking is not good for you...my cousin has 3 children. the 1st she didnt smoke with and he is healthy, the other 2 1 had a second doodle hole and the the 3rd had a cycst in her neck that she needs to get it removed!!!! i dont know, then u get my aunt who was involved with a hippy camp and didnt know she was preggs until about 6 months...she took drugs and smoked and drunk! fine, my cousin was born with a bad heart but that is genetic. I think as long as your baody is a temple....you will do fine!

[Lirael]

i didnt smoke during, just before and after finishing breastfeeding.

[despseekbabe]

Emevity - Dont apologise for barging on here silly! This is an open forum - its great to suggest/clarify/discuss all issues...
:p
but yes - Studies show that women smokers have a lower conception rate than women who dont smoke...
and its bad for your guy to smoke too.
Smoking during preg makes ur baby too small....

AINS - are u on at the moment?

[Baldie's Mum]

thats good! quitting smoking is really hard!!!! even for a small amount of time. GOOD WORK!!!:thumbsup: :hugs: :detective:

[singa06]

Dh is on Zinc tablets (natures own). He just started them 2 weeks ago. Aparently they are meant to help with male sperm production. The chemist said alot of our foods are lacking in zinc.

[despseekbabe]

Hear another possible goodie...
drink a cup of green tea every day...
heard it somehow improves fertility in women...